The present invention generally relates to water valves, and more specifically to a water valve assembly having an attachment mechanism which prevents a fluid conduit from becoming detached from a valve body.
Water valve assemblies are commonly used in many household appliances such as dishwashers, clothes washers and refrigerator icemakers. Such appliance water valve assemblies generally include a valve body having a fluid channel defined therein. The fluid channel receives a portion of a fluid conduit for conveying water to various locations within the household appliance.
Water valve assemblies also include other components, such as a filter and a flow control member, contained within the fluid channel. Water valve assemblies further include a threaded cap or base screwed onto a complimentary threaded end portion of the valve body. The threaded cap fits around the fluid conduit and functions to maintain the fluid conduit within the fluid channel. The threaded cap also functions to keep the filter and the flow control member, as well as other parts, located within the channel.
Often during maintenance of the household appliance, the threaded cap must be unscrewed from the valve body to gain access to the fluid channel of the water valve assembly. Many water valve assemblies require that the threaded cap be removed from the valve body with a tool such as a wrench. Once the maintenance work is complete, the threaded cap is screwed back onto the valve body with the tool. As with its removal, the threaded cap is screwed back onto the valve body by using the tool.
One problem associated with the above described arrangement is that the threaded cap can be over tightened when screwed back onto the valve body once the maintenance work is complete. Over tightening the threaded cap can damage the valve body and/or the threaded cap which can cause the water valve assembly to leak during use of the household appliance.
A further problem associated with the above described arrangement is that the threaded cap can inadvertently become unscrewed from the valve body due to vibration generated during use or shipment of the household appliance. If the threaded cap becomes unscrewed from the valve body, water can leak from the water valve assembly during use of the household appliance, or valve parts contained within the channel can spill out during shipment of the household appliance.
Another problem associated with the above described arrangement is that the water valve assembly is usually positioned in the household appliance in a very confined space. Therefore, the use of a tool to unscrew the threaded cap from the valve body in this confined space is very difficult.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a water valve assembly having an attachment mechanism that prevents a fluid conduit from becoming inadvertently detached from a valve body. It would further be desirable to provide a water valve assembly having an attachment mechanism which is configured so as to prevent over tightening thereof. It would also be desirable to provide a water valve assembly having an attachment mechanism that allows a fluid conduit to be attached and detached from a valve body without the use of a tool.